JERUSALEM — Following the rebel seizure of Damascus, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, known for his repeated use of chemical weapons against his own people, has fled the country.
According to Syrian television, Assad, a UK-trained ophthalmologist, escaped with his British-born wife, Asma, and their children; their destination remains unknown.
Syria’s protracted 13-year civil war, fueled by Islamist rebels seeking to overthrow the Assad dynasty, appears to have culminated in the regime’s apparent collapse, marking a potential watershed moment in Middle Eastern geopolitics.
A coalition of predominantly radical Islamist groups ousted Assad’s Iranian-backed government. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former Al-Qaeda affiliate within the rebel forces, played a crucial role in Assad’s removal. He inherited the presidency in 2000 upon his father’s death.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, subject to a $10 million U.S. bounty, aims to present a more moderate image of radical Islamism, contrasting with his history of fighting in Syria and Iraq against American forces. Al-Golani was previously detained by the U.S. military.
Syrian experts have informed Digital that HTS intends to establish a totalitarian Islamist regime. Phillip Smyth of the Atlantic Council, an expert on Iranian-backed groups and Syria, stated to Digital that HTS, with Al-Qaeda origins and Turkish links, aims to achieve this goal with minor modifications.
Assad’s violent 2011 crackdown on pro-democracy activists during the Arab Spring uprisings triggered the lengthy civil war. His brutal policies resulted in over 500,000 deaths, a toll the UN has ceased tracking.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Egyptian and Jordanian officials advised Assad to flee and establish a government-in-exile; Jordan denied this.
In 2015, Russia intervened to prevent the collapse of Assad’s regime, which had been teetering. Hezbollah, a U.S.-sanctioned Lebanese militant group, and its patron, Iran, provided crucial support.
The rebels’ rapid capture of major Syrian cities, including Aleppo, Homs, and Hama, shocked both Russia and Iran. Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s invasion has weakened Moscow. Israel has launched multiple airstrikes against Iranian military infrastructure since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, surprise attack on Israel.
The UN Security Council’s 2015 Resolution 2254, calling for a ceasefire, UN-supervised elections, and a new constitution, was rejected by Assad.
Following a devastating 2013 chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians, resulting in over 1,400 deaths, the former U.S. President considered military action against Assad.
The catalyst for Assad’s downfall can be traced back to 2011, to a group of schoolboys in Daraa who used graffiti to write: “The people / want / to topple the regime!”
Assad’s cousin, Gen. Atef Najeeb, oversaw an operation involving the alleged torture of these 15 boys (aged 10-15), including reported acts of fingernail removal, burning, and beatings.